DEFENDING premiers North Mackay boosted their Manpower premiership hopes with a 89-57 win over rivals Bakers Creek at Etwell Park on Saturday.
The win brings the Saints level with Bakers Creek in fourth position and follows on a big win over Moranbah last weekend.
“To back that up was a pretty good effort,” coach Mark Barnett said.
“There's plenty of rivalry between Bakers and the Saints.
“We play the top side Whitsunday next week, so this gives us a bit of confidence to go into that game and maybe be the first to knock them off.”
The win came at a cost, with on-baller Sammy Bilal suffering a broken fibula in a tackle.
Halfback flanker Ryan Hollows and big forward Carl Teske were among the Saints' best.
“It was an arm-wrestle,” Bakers Creek coach Shaun Williams said
Ruckman Daniel Pollock, on-baller Williams and centre halfback Jaebyn Drefke were best for Bakers Creek, who had 14 players out of the senior side.
“Last week we had three blokes suffer knee injuries, including Ben Crosbie who has had a knee reconstruction and is out for the season,” Williams said.
“The week before that Tim Drew injured a tendon in his ankle and he's out for the season.”
Bakers Creek's big signing, former AFL star Byron Pickett, hasn't played for a few weeks but Williams said the former Norm Smith medallist was organising family to come to Mackay and he should be playing next weekend.
At Airlie Beach, Whitsunday's Mark Pollard kicked 10 goals as Whitsunday thrashed Eastern Swans 210-50, and Mackay City went west to Moranbah for a 179-49 win over the Bulldogs.